Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-20
THURSDAY JANUARY 20, 1887.
A Good Letter.

The letter of Attorney-General AYERS
which we published yesterday breathes
the true spirit of Virginian, and is
well calculated to inspire our people
with renewed confidence in their law
officer. One Of the most striking re-
marks is, that commencing litigation
with the declaration that they rejoiced
in the act providing indemnity for
county treasurers because they could
have speedy payments OF the large
judgments for punitive damages which
they confdentlyexpected to recover,
the bondholders and their agents
"close the year with All appeal to the
United States Court to enjoin the
Board of Indemnity from doing that
which they at the outset rejoiced the
Board had been authorized to do.
Surely that was grievous disappoint-
ment to the coupon-speculators.
money talks" il very expressive
phrase which it may be allowable for
us to use in this connection. Mr..
AYERS did not mention the fact, but it
il fact, that the present price of cOu-
pons is indubitable proof that the
States prosecutors have come off second
best up to the present moment. Messrs.
JoHS A. HAMILTON d Co., OF Balti-
more, testify that coupons sold at one
time during the last calender year as
high as 50. Our quotations i'll yester-
davis issue were "34 bid, 36 asked"
This fact, too, is a speaking tribute to
the fidelity of our people to their
State, and convincing evidence that they
are devoted to her interests; for if
all the taxpayers who could have used
coupons in paying their taxes had done
so last year, the Commonwealth would
to-day be in a deplorable condition in
deed. Coupons would have gone up,
and RzDDLEBERGRR's down. Confusion
would reign. And nobody would have
been really benefited; for it is certain
that if the taxpayers were to pay into
the Treasury million of dollars in
coupons annually, the States annual
taxes would have to be increased by
that sum. Coupons are worthless trash
as soon as they reach the Treasury.
The unpatriotic taxpayer may put them
off uDon the Commonwealth, but she
cannot put them off upon her creditors.
Her only resort is to levy more taxes.
Nothing has ever caused us to lose
confidence in the jury system. We have
never failed, when occasion offered, to
protest against seeking to bring the jury
system into disrepute. Recalling the
service which that system has performed
for our people during the last twenty
wears. we cannot but be surprised when
any southern man attacks jury-trials.
Mr.. AYERS compliments the juries in
the recent coupOn-cases, as follows:
"They 1.-THE bondholdersl met their
APPROPRIATION when they encountered
Virginia jury standing like stone
wall, which refused to give them eXem-
plary or punitive damages, and, indeed,
only refunded the taxes paid in obedi
ence to the peremptory instructions of
the court.
Mr.. AYERS has notified the Supreme
Court of the United States that Vir-
ginia still claims exemption from suit
in the United States courts. The peO-
pie Of Virginia will be glad to hear
his. Indeed the people of every State
u the Union ought to rejoice over it
for all the States are as deeply inter
ested in the matter rs Virginia. 1t
cannot he expected that the present
justices will reverse their UPRIGHT
eous decision in the coupon cases;
but remembering how short time
elapsed between the two conflicting de-
cisions in the legal-tender cases, We
have no reason TO despair. The Yir-
ginia bonds will not mature in this CEN
fury.
We wish to emphasize the following
paragraphs
"There is no power in government
that can withstand or overcome united
people, and it remains to be seen
whether they will stand together and
accomplish the object which can thus
he 30 easily attained"
"The people have in their hands the
speedy solution of this whole question.
III they will only be true to themselves
and spurn every offer of coupons upon
any terms, the agitation will cease, and
the offer Of settlement be accepted and
become effective.
Let the people never lose sight of the
fact that the Supreme Court of the
United States has not decided, as
of course it could not decide, that
it was anybody's duty to pay taxes
in coupons. As to this the court SAYS
what it wonld say in reference to the
law which permits you to go into bar
room-that you have the right to go,
but the court has no power to compel
you TO go. You have the right to pay
your taxes in coupons; but the court
has no power TO compel you TO do 50.
Stand by the old Commonwealth
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